Ranking Broncos' Most Linked HC Candidates in 2023

The Denver Broncos have been linked to multiple head-coaching candidates but which names take precedence?

The Denver Broncos must get the next head coach hire correct. That search begins after the final game of the season. 

The Broncos have stated that the interview process begins the week of January 9 and are committed to doing what it takes to get the coach they want and need. There is a long list of candidates who could get an interview, but there are only a handful that the new Walton/Penner ownership group at Dove Valley has been linked to at the moment. 

It may be a much shorter list than the 10-candidate interview list from last January. When it comes to the candidates linked to the Broncos vacancy, let's rank the top head coach options. 

1. Jim Harbaugh | Michigan Wolverines

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The rumors about Harbaugh returning to the NFL began to intensify as soon as Michigan was bounced from the college football playoffs. The Broncos would be wise to do whatever it takes to secure him as the leader of the team. 

Harbaugh has an exceptional history of turning around struggling teams in both the NFL and college, which is exactly what the Broncos need. When he was at the helm in San Francisco, he averaged 11 wins per season, led the team to the NFC Championship game twice, and to a Super Bowl in only four seasons. 

Harbaugh did it with Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, neither of whom was an elite-level signal-caller by any means. Harbaugh also has shown the ability to evolve his offenses to get significant impact and put his players in the right position to succeed.

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2. Sean Payton | Former New Orleans Saints

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Payton is a good coach and has a Super Bowl win while coaching the Saints. Under his tutelage, Drew Brees became a Hall-of-Fame quarterback and Payton has a .631 winning percentage in the NFL. 

That is nothing to sneeze at, but with a quarterback of Brees' caliber for nearly his entire tenure in New Orleans, one would think Payton would have had more to show for it than a single trip to the Super Bowl. The decision-makers in Denver would also need to weigh the potential of success with the character concerns Payton brings and the draft capital it would take to get him to the Mile High City, since New Orleans still owns his rights. 

It would be costly, but there is little doubt that Payton would help Russell Wilson improve significantly from his abysmal 2022. That is a huge plus since Wilson has a long-term and expensive contract.

3. Dan Quinn | Dallas Cowboys DC

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Quinn was in the running for the head-coaching job last season. He has experience and took the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl as their head coach. 

Quinn is well-liked among players, but not the 'I want to be your friend' type that Nathaniel Hackett was in his tenure with the Broncos. The issues with Quinn? His teams have a propensity to not finish games and he struggled to replace Kyle Shanahan when he left for San Francisco in 2017. 

Quinn also went through several defensive coordinators while with the Falcons. He does have history with Wilson in Seattle and would likely bring an offensive coordinator with him who can help the QB return to his previous form. 

4. Ejiro Evero | Denver Broncos DC

Evero has been incredible in his first stint as a defensive coordinator. The Broncos' defense was one of the best units in the league until injuries and trades depleted personnel. 

Evero is also well-liked by his players and he puts them in position to succeed. He has a knack for having the right scheme and calling the right plays in-game. 

However, Evero has never been a head coach and has only one season as a coordinator. This leads to questions about his ability to bring in the right assistant coaches and create a strategy for an entire team, not just the defense. 

Evero is a star on the rise and he will be a head coach soon in the NFL, which makes it tough for the Broncos to pass on him in this cycle.

5. Shane Steichen | Philadelphia Eagles OC

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The Eagles are one of the best teams in the NFL this season and much of it is credited to Steichen. He has turned Jalen Hurts into a star and that progress was seen starting in the latter portion of the 2021 season as Steichen was given more play-calling duties as the campaign progressed. 

Steichen is a hot name in NFL hiring circles for 2023, but like Evero, he has no experience as a head coach and only a short tenure as a coordinator. His experience helping quarterbacks develop should be a plus as the Broncos think of who can get Wilson back to his former self.

6. Eric Bieniemy | Kansas City Chiefs OC

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With the Kansas City Chiefs’ success over the past several seasons, one would assume that their offensive coordinator would get interviews for head-coaching positions. However, while Bieniemy has garnered a significant amount of buzz each hiring cycle, he has yet to land a head-coaching job. 

Unfortunately, he carries character concerns with him, but unlike Payton, he doesn’t have the experience or the success as a head coach. Many believe that the offensive success the Chiefs have had is due to Andy Reid and Bieniemy is just along for the ride. That doesn’t help his chances. 

A team will eventually take a chance on Bieniemy, but his credentials don’t appear to be what the Broncos are looking for to turn the ship around.

Bottom Line

The Broncos' head-coaching search this season will likely look much different than last season as CEO and part-owner Greg Penner leads the hiring process. People who have some history with GM George Paton may not get an interview, even if the rumors are flying about potential candidates. 

With the failure Hackett was, it may be a good thing that Paton is not the one running the search.

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